India’s GM crop success
2014-03-20 It's time to retire the myth that Bt cotton is to blame for farmer suicides in India. Opponents of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) claim that the proliferation of GM crops like Bt cotton has placed enormous financial strain on India’s smallholder farmers, driving them to suicide. But detailed studies on the ground indicate that, far from failure, Bt cotton has been a boon for Indian farmers, raising yields per acre by nearly one-quarter and raising smallholder profits by one-half, and lowering health-care costs by helping avoid millions of cases of pesticide poisoning.